


Worlds

by alianne



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Competition, Crossover, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-28
Updated: 2010-06-28
Packaged: 2017-10-10 07:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alianne/pseuds/alianne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the second year of New Directions, and the kids have their eyes set on the ultimate prize: Glee Worlds, taking place in Cardiff, Wales. The only catch is that "Worlds" doesn't refer to "best IN the world", but instead "best OF the WORLDS".</p><p>First chapter. Prolly officially not being finished. At least, not till the bunny starts kicking again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worlds

“And-uh five six _sev_en eight, ONE two three – no, that’s wrong.”

Quinn shook her head slightly. It was always interesting when Brittany took charge of a rehearsal. She was far and away the steadiest female dancer, and it hadn’t been long before everyone learned that she was a phenomenal choreographer. It was just that sometimes her methods of explaining were… unusual. It was usually better for everyone when Brit would just demonstrate, sometimes upwards of five times for the slower learners. But Brittany never seemed to tire, and Quinn refused to flag before any of her teammates. Quinn shook her head harder, trying to pep up again. After their showing at Regionals her sophomore year, the group had sat down with their extra year and began brainstorming.

It had paid off. They wanted to win; they were willing to work for it. At the end of the year Quinn had sat down with Rachel and Finn, and the three of them pulled out past schedules. Rachel showed how they would break down a show to get maximum efficiency out of their time, Quinn contributed with the Cheerio’s intensive regime, and Finn was pretty to look at. Santana had sat with Brittany and Mike and helped Mike get on Brittany’s wavelength so that the two of them could choreograph. Kurt and Mercedes teamed up to figure out the best things to wear, and Artie and Finn had put their heads together for even more creative arrangements. Everyone played their strengths, and working on their own late into summer nights had paid off more than Mr. Schuester had ever dreamed. The club had sat down Mr. Schuester at the beginning of the year to explain what had happened over the summer and how they had worked and what the new goals were.

_We know we can take sectionals_, Mercedes started, _and we know we will blow regionals out of the water._ Santana had nodded. _We’ve done research, Mr. Schue. There’s another level we want to reach._

When New Directions walked through the doors on the first day of the new school year, they made people look up. They made people listen. By presenting a new and completely united front, New Directions pushed past the Cheerios and football players and up through the social hierarchy of school, instating them as a fierce contender for popularity. It didn’t hurt that Rachel had managed to swing them another TV commercial spot, which had landed them on the news. By the end of that week, everyone knew New Directions was a force to be reckoned with. Auditions were less fiercely competitive than they were a culling of poor talent, with the newly minted upperclassmen defending the integrity of the group and finding no resistance.

_Do you know what we want to do, Mr. Schuester?_ Quinn remembered Kurt’s eyes lighting up with a driven intensity as he leaned forward. Rachel had placed a hand on his shoulder and looked Schuester straight in the eyes. _We’re going to nationals this year, _she had said, and they watched Schuester’s eyebrows shoot up even as he nodded.

Despite the atmospheric standards for vocal performance, they had added three new members in the fall – Diana, Sydney, and Greg – and the freshman had worked incredibly hard to catch up. Before acceptance, Quinn made Rachel sit them down to explain exactly what they would be getting themselves into, what the Glee Club had done during the summer and what the expectation of commitment and performance was.

Rachel hadn’t even needed Quinn’s pep talk. Quinn should have known better than to try to tell Rachel how to convey the gravitas of this year. The three freshman had sat down in the choir room with Quinn, Rachel, Santana, and Puck. _You are Glee, _Rachel had told them, turning her normal intensity even higher. _We do not expect your hundred percent, we expect you to give two hundred as a minimum. You will be working harder than you have ever worked before…but you’re going to love it._

And they did. Sydney had flourished instantly, and Rachel had the startling experience of having someone as driven as she was idolize her and work hard to make her happy. Rachel had come to Quinn in bewilderment, and Quinn had had to explain what it was like to be top dog and have little followers. Not, you know, that it was something Quinn missed since leaving the Cheerios. Yet admittedly she was a little jealous of Rachel, or maybe she was just a little jealous of not being the best anymore. Until Tina had pointed out the way Diana always seemed to show up to rehearsal in a copy of an outfit Quinn had worn the week before, how when she slipped up her first scared glance was towards Quinn. Quinn’s heart had instantly softened towards the quiet girl, and for the first time Quinn began trying to be friends with one of the younger members.

Tina herself was smitten with Artie, and he with her. Gleecest or not, the club was completely supportive of their relationship and was collectively thrilled it was happening. They orbited in their own little world sometimes, but as Greg had confided to Matt one day, he hadn’t known they were dating until he saw them outside of rehearsal. Tina and Artie did their best to make sure no one felt awkward (not that any one would have) and to still be professional (which they were). Because everything depended on this year.

_We have plans after nationals,_ Quinn herself had said, standing with the club and facing Schuester. She had taken a deep breath and said it and made it true.

_This year? This year we’re taking Worlds._


End file.
